More than 65% of Canadians plan to renovate or do house additions this year. Are you among them?
From empty nesters looking to take their current home into retirement to growing families with growing needs, we Canadians clearly love the location of our home and see the benefits of house additions, instead of moving house. And you’re probably no exception.
Yet if you’ve never done a home addition before, you’re probably nervous about what to expect. At Kurmak Builders, we understand that anxiety and want to help ease it with this step by step guide to custom home add-ons.
Ready to learn what to expect during the home addition process? Let’s get started.
Step 1: Choose Your Custom Home Builder
For a home addition done right, the first step you should take is to find a custom home builder or contractor. These professionals understand all the steps in this process intimately. And they help make the process easier on you by doing much of the work, so you don’t have to.
Step 2: What Kind of House Additions Do You Need?
When you sit down with your new contractor during the consultation phase, you’ll first want to tell them what kind of home addition you want. If you’re like 36% of Canadian renovators, you’re interested in a bathroom add-on. But if you aren’t sure, your contractor can help walk you through the options that work best with your home’s current design and functionality.
The goal of any house addition is to make sure it always belonged to the house, so your contractor will help advise you on how to make that happen.
Step 3: Determine Your Budget and Timeline
After you decide what kind of home addition you want, the contractor will need to understand what type of budget and timeline you’re working with. Keep in mind that your budget doesn’t just include the cost for the addition. It will also incorporate labor, the inspection, and any other expenses like a hotel during construction.
Further, you need to decide how long you can wait for the addition. Do you have family coming to town for Christmas in two months? Then you’ll probably want your addition finished before then.
The time to construct a new addition depends on the complexity of the project, how many square feet you’re adding, and how suitable the landscape is for building. A new addition can take between 12 and 16 weeks. Be sure your builder understands your needs, so they finish your addition within your timeline.
Step 4: Decide Where You’ll Live During Construction
Depending on the location and intensity of your home addition, you may need to secure a living space during construction. Home additions can be a loud and messy affair. Also, if your home addition is an expansion rather than a second story, your home builders may need to do some excavating and demolishing work.
Instead of dealing with the stressful construction noises and smells, you may feel more peace of mind staying at a local hotel or with family members. That way, your home builders can take care of what they do best without you having to lose a wink of sleep.
If you decide to stay in the house during construction, we are always respectful of the fact that we’re in your home. But don’t take our word for it. Here’s what one of our customers had to say:
“We chose to remain in the house throughout all of this work and Kurmak, and their sub-contractors, were incredibly respectful and accommodating throughout the whole experience.” – Sian R. & Will B
Step 5: Create the Blueprint
Of all the steps in this process, this one is the most fun. Because now, it’s time to dream up your ideas for your new addition. But first, there’s one more important thing you and your home builder will need to take care of.
Determine Property Lines
Before you draft up those design plans, you need to make sure your property lines will allow for it. Building another story won’t face this problem. But if you plan to extend your home outward instead of upward, this step is vital.
Luckily, your contractor can help you out. He will take a look at the site plan you received upon purchasing your home. If you can’t locate it, no worries because your home builders can also get access to one from the city.
Design the Floorplan
Now that you know your addition is legal, it’s time for the fun stuff. You and your designer will get together to discuss your add-on wish list. This includes the style and size of the addition plus how the addition will look inside and outside.
Draft the Blueprint
Once you and your designer have discussed your needs and wants, they’ll draft up the design. After presenting it to you for final approval, they can take the blueprint to the city. This step is vital before moving on to the next because the city won’t grant you permits without a blueprint of the proposed designs.
Step 6: Apply for Building Permits and Hire an Inspector
The final step before construction on your new home addition begins is to apply for building permits and hire an inspector. A good contractor will do all of this for you. They gain the needed permits and work with inspectors to ensure that your addition is legal in the city of Calgary.
Once the permits are in and the inspection passed, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Because now it’s time to watch your dreams become a reality.
Step 7: Construction Begins
Construction is usually the longest step in the process of building a new house addition. It can also be intimidating since this is the stage where everything gets real. There’s no turning back now!
But as long as you and your custom home builder have carefully crafted your addition plan, you can set those worries aside. You’ll be back in your house enjoying your new addition in no time.
Custom Home Builders in Calgary, Alberta
Are you in Calgary and interested in a house addition? Contact Kurmak Builders today to find out how we can make your project a success.
We help build on your vision to make it the best possible result. At the end of the project, we want you to say: “I knew what I wanted, but it turned out so much better than expected.”